What We Do

Cynthia Duprey of Next Chapter Bookstore wears a sweatshirt and jeans and poses by the treehouse in the children's reading area

Community Capital provides flexible business financing to people interested in starting or growing small businesses in Vermont. We work with diverse partners to strengthen downtowns and our rural economy by providing loans and business support to women, people with limited credit or collateral, and low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs.

Dave and Melinda Gervais-Lamoureux where t-shirts with the Essex House logo and smile under the sign in the bar

Community Capital offers no-cost pre- and post-loan support to help you navigate business challenges. From the time our borrowers anticipate receiving a loan, until they sell or transfer your business, our Business Advisors can help design actionable, customized plans and attainable goals to improve the viability and profitability of their businesses.

Cover for Community Capital of Vermont
872
Community Capital of Vermont

Community Capital of Vermont

Investing in entrepreneurs by providing financing for startups and small businesses in Vermont.

Community Capital borrower East Calais General Store is featured on the cover of the Preservation Trust of Vermont Annual Report. The Report tells the stories of the projects they’ve supported."When the East Calais General Store closed in December 2019, community members had already gathered their concerns and acted upon them. Earlier in the year they formed the East Calais Community Trust, a nonprofit with a mission to revitalize their small village north of Montpelier. Their first step was to get a $50,000 loan from Northfield Savings Bank for acquisition. ‘There is a moment when you need to take a risk,’ says Marc Mihaly. ‘One way or the other, we figured we would pay it off. We did.’Continuously operating since 1850, the East Calais General Store building had a decent roof but the systems were antiquated, the overall condition of the interior was rough, and the underground fuel tanks were in need of remediation. Initially, PTV served as a fiscal sponsor for the project, allowing them to jump-start their fundraising. Following acquisition, the group raised $2.7 million, including a Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grant and Community Supported Enterprise/HUD grant, both administered by PTV.The project involved extensive restoration, deep energy retrofits, and ADA upgrades, resulting in the state’s first all-electric, fossil fuel-free general store. The three attached affordable housing units are managed by Downstreet Housing, and now the store is once again serving as a hub for the community.‘The people of Calais, Woodbury, and, to some extent, East Montpelier want a local store. People come in and sit down, or grab and go,” says Marc Mihaly. “It’s a drop in the bucket for the need for affordable housing. Are we revitalizing our village? It’s a step. When you create a Community Trust, you create a group of people who want to think about what is coming next. Now we are asking: what is our next project?’”-2024 Annual Report, Preservation Trust of Vermont See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Congratulations to Community Capital borrower Missing Piece Bakery on their move to a beautiful new location, making the village of Swanton a whole lot sweeter! Don’t miss the grand opening, November 9 & 10. See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Community Capital of Vermont’s mission is to help small businesses and lower income entrepreneurs prosper through the provision of flexible business financing.

“Community Capital made me feel that my company was more than just a business — they could back my deep convictions. Their support of my endeavor from the beginning, through construction, opening and beyond has been exemplary and beyond anything I could have asked for. They continue to make a dream come true for my family.”

-Sarita Khan, Vermont Salt Cave, Montgomery Center